Capsular-type underwater release lifeboat

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat that can be operated in davit mode, freefall mode and underwater mode. The lifeboat comprised of an outer shell, and fitted inside with engines that aid in forced and normal propulsions of the lifeboat. Two air pockets are arranged in both the ends of the outer shell to sustain underwater pressure and to aid increased buoyancy of the lifeboat. A fixed Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is provided inside the lifeboat for rescuers to easily locate the survivors and a double water tight entrance door is formed on the top portion to resist the underwater pressure. The present invention also provides a method for releasing the lifeboat underwater. The reinforced lifeboat discussed herein shall be deployed on the sea and also underwater in order to rescue the people during a disaster in the sea vessel.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present application generally relates to a lifeboat and more particularly relates to a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat for use in commercial vessels that can be operated in various modes such as davit release mode, freefall mode, and underwater mode, and a method for releasing the capsular-type underwater release lifeboat in underwater.

BACKGROUND

Public safety has always been an utmost priority for all institutions and companies. People have always aimed at improving safety measures, processes and devices to address the priority. Agencies and regulatory bodies are always ensuring that the rules and policies pertaining safety is always appropriate and updated. Sea travel is one of the major areas where the safety has to be taken care of. While travelling by sea vessels, in the worst scenarios, there may be chances of sudden submersion or collision of sea vessels, unavoidable and extremely high sea waves, very large vessels being cut into half, vessels overturning that may result from heavy top cargoes or the GM (metacentric height) issue especially the log ships and the containerized vessels.

In the aforesaid scenarios, the davit and freefall types of lifeboats, also referred to as life raft or shipboard, which are carried in the vessels for emergency evacuation during a disaster, would be very difficult to use. As these lifeboats are required to be safely released completely, it is necessary to remove all the slings and turnbuckles in the lifeboats, before release them into the sea.

Existing lifeboats shall be operated only in one mode, which is either freefall type release mode or davit release mode. The major drawback is that the existing device shall be operated only on water surface, but not capable of underwater travel. Also, the current lifeboats are made of special fiberglass material, and are not constructed with aluminum tube plates, and aluminum braces or frames. And there is no Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) fixed in the current lifeboats.

Hence, there is a need for a lifeboat, which can be operated in various modes, such as freefall release mode, davit release mode and underwater release mode, which is made up of special fiberglass material, aluminum tubes and fixed with EPIRB.

The present invention is disclosed herein to overcome aforesaid drawbacks for a safety, easy and rapid operation of the lifeboat.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lifeboat that can be operated in an underwater release mode in addition to the freefall release mode and the davit release mode.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat made up of special fiberglass material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat that comprises aluminum tubes made up of plates and support structures.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat which includes an Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) for rescuers to easily locate the survivors.

According to an exemplary embodiment of an invention, a capsular-type lifeboat, comprises a double-walled outer shell, a first engine and a second engine, wherein the first engine is arranged in the front portion of the outer shell, and the second engine is arranged in the aft portion of the outer shell, wherein the first engine is arranged in such a way to aid the lifeboat in forced propulsion underwater, and the second engine is arranged in such a way for normal propulsion when the lifeboat is at the surface of the water, two air pockets arranged in both the ends of outer shell in order to sustain the underwater pressure and to aid increased buoyancy of the lifeboat, a fixed Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) provided inside the lifeboat for rescuers to easily locate the survivors, a double water tight entrance door to resist the under water pressure, a plurality of water tight port holes arranged at the port side of the lifeboat and at the starboard side the lifeboat for aiding in outside observation, a plurality of tubes arranged interior to the shell, wherein the plurality of tubes are made of plates and supporting structures, and a plurality of aero navigational glasses.

According to an exemplary embodiment of an invention, a method of releasing a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat in underwater involves accommodating the survivor crew, through a passage of a double watertight entrance door, inside the watertight room of the lifeboat, closing the double watertight entrance door, and releasing the lifeboat underwater by manually disengaging the stainless wing screws and nuts located at the top portion of the double watertight entrance door, wherein the lifeboat afloat rapidly on the surface of the water or underwater by propelling in forced propelling direction by a forward engine.

The foregoing section has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, along section A-A from FIG. 1, of the lifeboat.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat while in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The capsular-type underwater release lifeboat 10 for use in commercial vessels that can be operated in various modes such as davit release mode, freefall mode, and underwater mode, is described herein with the accompanying drawings.

The “lifeboat 10” described herein can also be referred to as “rescue vessel,” “liferaft,” “shipboard,” “maritime rescue,” or any other equivalent term, that aids in rescuing passengers from the ship in the event of any disaster. The term “outer shell 11” described herein can also be referred to as a “hull,” “main body,” or any other equivalent term that acts as an outer structure of a lifeboat 10. There are a number of lifeboats 10 known to a person skilled in the art that can be operated in davit release mode and freefall mode. The preferred embodiment discussed herein refers to lifeboat 10 that can be released and operated underwater.

FIG. 1 illustrates the top view of a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat 10. The lifeboat 10 comprises an aerodynamic and double-walled outer shell 11 which houses several other compartments and components of the lifeboat 10. Referring to FIG. 2, which shows section A-A of the FIG. 1, illustrates the sectional view of the capsular-type underwater release lifeboat 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the outer shell 11 is molded with heat resistant special fiberglass materials 21 to resist the underwater pressure. A double water tight entrance door 17 is provided at the top of the outer shell 11 to resist the underwater pressure. The door 17 is attached to the outer shell 11 by means of manual releasing screws 16 which is shown in FIG. 3 and nuts (not shown). The double water tight entrance door 17 serves as an opening through which the survivors and rescuers enter and exit the lifeboat 10.

A plurality of watertight tubes 19 is arranged interior of the shell 11 to form a cylindrical tube-like structure of the lifeboat 10, wherein the plurality of watertight tubes 19 is made of a number of plates and supporting structures. Wherein the supporting structures include frames, braces, or the like. The arrangement of double water tight entrance door along with the plurality of watertight tubes, plates and supporting structures form a watertight room.

In addition to the aforesaid construction as illustrated in FIG. 2, the lifeboat 10 comprises breathers 20 and hooks 23 at the forward and aft top portions of the outer shell 11. Also, a main power fin stabilizer 25 is provided at the lower end of the lifeboat 10.

FIG. 3 represents an isometric view of the capsular-type underwater release lifeboat 10. FIG. 4 represents the schematic view of the capsular-type underwater release lifeboat 10 while the lifeboat 10 is in use. The lifeboat 10 of the present invention shall accommodate at least 25 seats 24 and can also be modified to increase or decrease the seating capacity based on the requirements. The lifeboat 10 includes twin fins 26, a forward engine room 29 and an aft engine room 30. A first engine 12 and a second engine 13, also referred to as forward engine 12 and aft engine 13 respectively, are mounted interior to the outer shell 11 in respective engine rooms 29, 30, wherein the first engine 12 is mounted in the forward engine room 29 and the second engine 13 is mounted in the aft engine room 30. The forward engine room 29 is provided in the forward portion of outer shell 11, and the aft engine room 30 is provided on the aft portion of the outer shell 11. The first engine 12 is arranged in such a way to aid the lifeboat 10 in forced propulsion underwater, and the second engine 13 is arranged in such a way for normal propulsion when the lifeboat 10 afloat on the surface of the water.

The engines 12, 13 described herein are of same model having 30 HP and 3200 RPM, and are prescribed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

Two air pockets, a forward air pocket 14 and a rear air pocket 15 each connected at each end of the outer shell 11 respectively, wherein the ends may be the front end and aft end. The air pockets 14, 15 are arranged in such a way to sustain the underwater pressure and to aid increased buoyancy of the lifeboat 10. Also, a fixed Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) is fixed interior to the lifeboat 10. The EPIRB can be switched on when the lifeboat 10 floats on the surface of the water to easily locate the survivors by the rescuers. A plurality of water tight port holes 18, wherein four water tight port holes 18 of the plurality of water tight port holes 18 are arranged at the port side of the lifeboat 10 and four other water tight port holes 18 of the plurality of water tight port holes 18 are arranged at the starboard side the lifeboat 10 for aiding in outside observation.

The plurality of watertight tubes 19 are disposed interior of the shell 11 to provide a reinforced structure to the lifeboat 10, wherein the plurality of watertight tubes 19 is made of plates and supporting structures. The plurality of watertight tubes 19 is made up of aluminum plates and aluminum supporting structures to form a cylindrical tube structure by means of a hydraulic roller bender. Said plurality of watertight tubes 19 is made up of at least 12 aluminum plates and at least 24 aluminum supporting structures.

Each of the plates as mentioned herein has a dimension of about 3 mm in thickness 4 feet in width and 6 feet in length. The supporting structures may be frames, braces, or the like. Each of the supporting structures has a dimension of about 1 mm in thickness, 1 inch in width, 2 inches in height and 22 feet in length As seen in FIG. 3, the edges of each of the plurality of watertight tubes 19 are welded together to form reinforced and water-sealed cylindrical tube structure.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, it is understood that the first engine 12 is provided in the forced propelling direction, whereas the second engine 13 is arranged in the normal propelling direction. Each of the forward engine 12 and aft engine 13 is connected to the propellers 27 of the lifeboat 10, wherein the propellers 27 are provided at forward and aft portions of the lifeboat 10. The engines 12, 13 are connected to the propellers 27 by means of an engine shaft 28.

The outer shell 11 is molded with heat resistant special fiberglass materials 21 in order to resist the underwater pressure. Hence, the reinforced and water-sealed cylindrical tube structure, and heat resistant special fiberglass materials 21 ensure the resilient structure of the lifeboat 10 as a whole.

In addition to the above mentioned components and arrangements, the lifeboat 10 of the present invention includes fuel tanks 31, a plurality of aero navigational glasses 22, and a mini lavatory for privacy use, by the survivors, inside the lifeboat 10 in case of delay in the rescue and also equipped with medicine locker, food locker, fishing hooks, and drinking water compartment. Each aero navigational glass 22 is made up of a sheet sized about 10 mm thickness, 2 feet in width and 3 feet in length and fixed by 15 pieces of stainless bolts and nuts. The lifeboat 10 is also equipped inside with a number of life vests, Emergency Escape Breathing Devices (EEBD), safety harnesses fixed in every seat of the lifeboat, helmets and fire extinguishers, as required by IMO and SOLAS.

The lifeboat 10 of the present invention shall be launched from a vessel in davit mode and freefall mode as known in the prior art. Generally, in freefall mode, the lifeboat 10 can be launched on to the sea using a freefall lifeboat launching apparatus, and in davit mode, the lifeboat 10 can be launched on to the sea using cables or the like by rectilinear translation.

In davit release mode, the lifeboat 10 of the present invention can be operated based on the commands of captains of the vessel to release the Lifeboat in davit release mode. Typically, every vessel is installed with a crane at a side portion of the lifeboat to be used in hoisting and lowering of the lifeboat and for other use in the vessel.

Referring to FIG. 3, the capsular underwater release lifeboat 10 is designed with two hooks 23 for connecting with a crane of a vessel, where the crane can be located at a side portion of the lifeboat 10. Wherein, one of the two hooks 23 is located at forward portion of the lifeboat 10 and the other of the two hooks 23 is located at the aft part of the lifeboat 10. The lifeboat 10 can be lowered on to the sea, in davit release mode, during a disaster in the sea.

The capsular underwater release lifeboat 10 can be released in freefall mode as well, and it depends on the commands of the vessel captains. The lifeboat 10 of the present invention includes a runway designed to release the lifeboat 10 in freefall mode.

As described earlier, the lifeboat 10 of the present invention discussed herein can be operated as aforesaid freefall mode and davit mode. In addition to the aforesaid modes, the lifeboat 10 can be operated and/or released in underwater mode for up to 20 meters deep or more. The lifeboat 10 can quickly, afloat for the reason that the present invention is constructed with air pockets 14, 15 in both the ends, as shown in FIG. 3.

The lifeboat 10 of the present invention can be released in underwater mode in case of sudden capsize of the vessel, collision of the two vessels or the vessels cut into two parts due to extremely bad weather condition. The crew who trapped inside the vessels accommodation can survive because the lifeboat 10 has a design of watertight tubes 19 from the vessel accommodation connected to the lifeboat 10. The lifeboat 10 is easy to be released in underwater release mode and is designed in such a way that anyone can operate or release the lifeboat 10 in underwater.

The method for releasing the lifeboat 10 in underwater, involves accommodating the survivor crew inside the watertight room of the lifeboat 10 that is located at a second deck side of a sea vessel where the lifeboat is typically installed. When the survivor crew has been accommodated inside the lifeboat 10 and no more left behind inside the accommodation of the vessel, the survivor crew can easily close the double watertight entrance door 17 which is shown in FIG. 3. When each of the survivor crew inside the lifeboat 10 fixed the safety harness, and worn the life-vest and Emergency Escape Breathing Device (EEBD), the lifeboat 10 is released from underwater by disengaging manually the stainless wing screws 16, which is shown in FIG. 3, and nuts (not shown) located at the top side of the double watertight entrance door 17. The screws and nuts act as a strong holder of the lifeboat 10 from the watertight tubes. When the screws 16 and nuts are de-activated or disengaged manually, and with the arrangement of air pockets at both ends of the lifeboat 10, the lifeboat 10 afloat rapidly on the surface of the water or underwater by propelling in forced propelling direction with the help of the forward engine 12 which is shown in FIG. 3.

The lifeboat of the present invention has been tested in the Lantad River of Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines, which has been witnessed by the Department of Science and Technology. The experimental results are tabulated in table 1 and table 2:

TABLE 1 Test 1: Experimented at Lantad River, Silay City, NEG.OCC. Test Type Load/Distance/Other Conditions Result a. Draft Test No Load Forward - 0.65 Meter Normal Aft - 0.65 Meter Normal b. Draft Test 4 Persons Forward - 0.75 Meter Normal Aft - 0.75 Meter Normal c. Listing Test Port & Starboard Normal d. Stability Test Normal e. Balance Test Normal f. Water Tightness Normal g. Float Test Total Weight - 500 Kgs. + 4 Normal persons (280 Kgs) Total - 780 Kgs Weather Condition - Rainy Wind Force - 28

TABLE 2 Test 2: Experimented at Lantad River, Silay City, NEG.OCC. Test Type Load/Distance/Other Conditions Result a. Draft Test No Load Forward - 0.65 Meter Normal Aft - 0.65 Meter Normal b. Draft Test 4 Persons Forward - 0.75 Meter Normal Aft - 0.75 Meter Normal c. Listing Test Port & Starboard Normal d. Stability Test Normal e. Balance Test Normal f. Water Tightness Normal g. Float Test Total Weight - 500 Kgs. + 4 Normal persons (280 Kgs) Total - 780 Kgs

It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiment is presently preferred example of how to make and use the claimed invention, and intended to be explanatory rather than limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the claims below. Reasonable variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claim below. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limited term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or the scope of any such invention, but as a term which has long been convenient and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in technology. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports. The scope of the invention is accordingly defined by the following claims.

This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A capsular-type underwater release lifeboat, characterized in that the lifeboat comprises: an aerodynamic double-walled outer shell; a first engine and a second engine, wherein the first engine is arranged in the front portion of the outer shell, and the second engine is arranged in the aft portion of the outer shell; wherein the first engine is arranged in such a way to aid the lifeboat in forced propulsion underwater, and the second engine is arranged in such a way for normal propulsion when the lifeboat is at the surface of the water; a forward air pocket and an aft air pocket disposed on the respective ends of the outer shell, wherein the air pockets are arranged in such a way to sustain the underwater pressure and to aid increased buoyancy of the lifeboat; a fixed Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) arranged inside the lifeboat; a double water tight entrance door to resist the underwater pressure; a plurality of water tight port holes, wherein four water tight port holes of the plurality of water tight port holes are arranged at the port side of the lifeboat and four other water tight port holes of the plurality of water tight port holes are arranged at the starboard side the lifeboat for aiding in outside observation a plurality of tubes arranged interior to the shell, wherein the plurality of tubes is made of plates and supporting structures; a mini lavatory for privacy use, by the survivors, inside the lifeboat in case of delay in the rescue; and a plurality of aero navigational glasses.
 2. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the first engine is arranged in the forced propelling direction.
 3. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the second engine is arranged in the normal propelling direction.
 4. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the first engine is disposed in the forward engine room.
 5. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the second engine is disposed in the aft engine room.
 6. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tubes is made up of aluminum plates, and aluminum supporting structures to form a cylindrical tube structure.
 7. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tubes is made to form a cylindrical tube structure using a hydraulic roller bender.
 8. The lifeboat of claims 1 and 6, wherein the supporting structures include frames, braces, or the like.
 9. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tubes is made up of at least 12 aluminum plates and at least 24 aluminum supporting structures.
 10. The lifeboat of claims 1 and 6, wherein the edges of each of the plurality of tubes are welded to form reinforced and water-sealed cylindrical tube structure.
 11. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the ends of the outer shell where the air pockets are provided include front end and the aft end.
 12. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is molded with heat resistant special fiberglass materials to resist the underwater pressure.
 13. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein the EPIRB can be switched on when the lifeboat floats on the surface of the water to easily locate the survivors by the rescuers.
 14. The lifeboat of claim 1, wherein each aero navigational glass is made up of a sheet sized about 10 mm thickness, 2 feet wide and 3 feet long and fixed by at least 15 pieces of stainless bolts and nuts.
 15. A method of releasing a capsular-type underwater release lifeboat in underwater, the method involves: accommodating the survivor crew, through a passage of a double watertight entrance door, inside the watertight room of the lifeboat; closing the double watertight entrance door; and releasing the lifeboat underwater by manually disengaging the stainless wing screws and nuts located at the top portion of the double watertight entrance door, wherein the lifeboat afloat rapidly on the surface of the water or underwater by propelling in forced propelling direction by a forward engine.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the lifeboat is located at a second deck side of a sea vessel. 